Editorial

2016 Global Peace Conference to be held in Freetown---as IPRA 50th Birthday confab ends in Istanbul

The 26th biennal conference of the Internatonal Peace Research Association (IPRA) is billed to take place in Freetown, Sierra Leone in November 2016, marking the second time Africa has hosted the conference since the founding of IPRA in 1964. This was announced following the re-election of the two IPRA Secretaries-general, Dr Ibrahim Seaga Shaw (pictured) and Dr Nesrin Kenar, who co-ordinated the 25th IPRA conference in Turkey, at the organisation’s administrative meeting on August 14 during the 25th IPRA conference in Istanbul to serve a second term of two years.

Business News

As government is putting together a robust post-Ebola recovery plan, the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources together with Shandong Steel and Mining Company have expressed strong commitment and willingness to recommence mining operations in the country by mid-April, 2015.

This expressed commitment was made during a meeting with Executives of Shandong Steel Company, the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources and representatives of the Tonkolili Iron Ore Mines at State House, Freetown.

Media News

The attention of the Independent Media Commission (IMC) has been drawn to a series of publications and broadcasts on issues relating to the Vice Presidency of Sierra Leone.

The IMC, an institution that promotes a free and responsible media, would like to remind the media institutions that while they are at liberty to source and determine their contents without any interference, they must do so within the set standards and ethics of the profession.

Commentary

LIVING IN POVERTY WITH PEACE AND HARMONY AND LIVING IN WAR WITH RICHES WHICH ONE IS BETTER?

The above question is a question that I would like every individual or group of Sierra Leoneans, including cleaners, messengers, secretaries, clerks, students, nurses, doctors, civil societies, youth groups, politicians, journalists, lawyers, magistrate or judges should ponder upon. I would like them to think about this question very seriously before they will make up their minds to jump into the Streets of the country in the name of demonstration, if they have toleap. Any one of the alternative above that they will decide to choose the destiny of their precious lives, the country’s progress and development are in their hands. Therefore, I would like them to carefully and wiselylook before they will leap if they have to.

I decided to ask the question because it seems as if many Sierra Leoneans are still sleeping in their wings because of their political egos. Therefore, they don’t want to know about our past and present predicament that the poor people are facing in the country. The poor innocent and defenceless masses were been subjected to uncivilized brutal war for the past 11 years through the causes of some of these same selfish unpatriotic sycophant politicians and their blind tribaiist and regionalist supporters in the count. Now Ebola is destroying thousands of our poor brothers and sisters’ lives in the country. Power hungry wicked politicians and their aides do not just want to know about that. Their business is to get power by any means possible at the expense of the poor masses valuable lives.

View Point

A MESSAGE OF PEACE TO SIERRA LEONE

As the constitutional crisis over the expulsion and dismissal of Vice President Samuel Sam Sumana rages like a brazen wild fire, the growing cry for PEACE is getting louder and louder both in Sierra Leone and in the Diaspora world.

Even as the Supreme Court moves to decide the legal interpretation of our national constitution on this case, we must never yield to the forces of violent confrontation and political anarchy over the need for peace and tranquility in a nation that knows too well the sounds of gun fires.

Society -Local News

An Open Letter to HE The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, State House, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

18th March, 2015.

Your Excellency,

Please permit me to write on a matter of grave national constitutional, legal and political concern that has come to engage the attention of our compatriots both at home and abroad. I have accordingly taken the liberty to make the format of this letter an open one, as its contents address matters of public national interest.

Development

100 Buses to arrive in Sierra Leone soon

Sierra Leone Government, (Ministry of Transport and Aviation) is finalizing arrangement for the shipment of 100 Buses to Sierra Leone, following last year’s signing of a contract between the ministry and China Poly Group Corporation for the supply of the said buses.

The (100) one hundred Buses, which have been manufactured by Zhongtong Buses, in the People’s Republic of China, are expected in Sierra Leone at anytime from now, as arrangements are now being made by China Poly Group Corporation, with shipping agencies for possible shipment to Sierra Leone.

Politics

Executives of the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and that of the ruling All Peoples Congress Party (APC) in the United States of America (USA) have frowned at the use of invectives directed at President Ernest Bai Koroma and the leaders of Sierra Leone ,and also dissociated themselves from malevolent conducts of some disgruntled members of their fold. They also distanced themselves and their respective political parties from any form of violence and its advocate.

Cross sections of executive of the two Political parties made their feelings known Friday when they assembled at the 1701 19th Street Chancery to register their solidarity with President Ernest Bai Koroma for sacking the erstwhile Vice President Alhaji Sam Sumana and the subsequent appointment of Ambassador Victor Bockarie Foh as vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone: and that of protest by the SLPP against the action of President Ernest Bai Koroma.